The Family We Choose
by harsens-rob
Summary: Story 12 in Spanderverse: Tara's family is a nightmare, Buffy fights off April and Xander comes out to Willow. Alternate versions of 'I Was Made To Love You' and 'Family'.
1. Not Quite Home

Disclaimer: Legal stuff, don't own characters, haven't made any money, this is for entertainment purposes, no profit earned, lawyers go away. –_kisses-_

**You can comment on this or any Spanderverse stories by visiting the Spanderverse forum under the Buffy topic! You can also read my commentary on 'To Dream', 'After 314' and 'Spike'. Emails are welcome as is R & R (_please_ – _feed my muse_).**

POV: Shifts Perspective

Spoiler Alert: There are tidbits from past episodes and Spanderverse: stories.

Notes: Story number thirteen in the Spanderverse-universe, following "_Hunting Our Needs_". Everything from the television series through the defeat of Adam also occurred as depicted, in the Spanderverse.

People's thoughts are depicted in _italics_. You'll find emphasis depicted with an underline.

More Notes: BIG thanks to Joss, the ME creative team and the crew of one of the best shows on television. WE MISS YOU!

Thanks to the authors of Fanfiction, wherever you may post. It's probable that I've read at least one of your stories somewhere. I apologize for recycling concepts inadvertently from the plentitude of stories I've read.

Note that this story begins the same night as Chapter 10 of 'Hunting Our Needs'. In addition, it is the night before Tara's 20th birthday and two weeks or so before Thanksgiving (November for our non-American audience).

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**The Family We Choose**

Ch 1 – Not Quite Home

**Willow arrived back at the dorm room she shared with her girlfriend Tara to find the young woman dressed in her pajamas for the evening. It was only 9pm and she had been hoping to take Tara out for coffee and to see why she seemed less than happy with her family being in town. It appeared that they were in for the night though.**

"**Hey, sweetie…uh, how'd things go with your family today?"**

"**Oh, f-fine. Uh, it was fine. I mean, it's –uh- nice- that they came for my birthday, you know?"**

**Willow frowned. "You know," she hesitated slightly before pushing on, "you don't talk much about back home…your family and stuff."**

"**There's never been much to tell. I mean, you guys lead way more exciting lives than anyone back in Petite Crique. I mean, it's –uh- a very small place. You know, everyone knows everyone else and there aren't many secrets you can keep. I spent the last few years before coming here though with my gran in Baton Rouge, though."**

"**Your family seems…nice. Uh, Donnie seemed to be a little bit anti-magic, though."**

**Tara paled and Willow thought it must have been really tough to come to terms with being able to access the dark arts if her brother's attitude was shared by everyone in her girlfriend's hometown.**

"**W-well," Tara stuttered, "there's a l-lot of old wife's tales about magic there. A lot of s-superstitions and such. I think everyone has Evil Eyes to ward off hexes and stuff. They don't really trust the supernatural. That's part of the reason I went to live with grannie once my dad found out about my interest in witchcraft."**

"**Sounds a little rough for a young witch," Willow said with sympathy as she began to change for bed.**

"**You know, Will…can we just n-not talk about it. Its…there's just some bad memories about that period of my life that I don't want to get into tonight. I promise though, someday I'll tell you everything. Okay?"**

"**Oh…sure. I'm sorry that you're not more glad to see your family, though."**

"**Well…families, you know? They drive you crazy. I'm feeling really beat. Can we just try to get some sleep? Big day tomorrow, after all."**

"**Yeah, of course," Willow said. She was still a little disturbed at Tara's reaction to her father being in town. It hadn't escaped her notice that she had started stuttering again when talking about home. She could only hope that the surprise party tomorrow at the Bronze would do a lot to cheer her up. And after all, it wasn't like her family would be staying long.**

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**In a penthouse overlooking Rainbow Park, her Eminence, the Mighty Glorificus stood staring out of a large window into the darkness. For a moment her reflection in the pane caught her attention and she primped her curls. **

**The relief of the minions surrounding her was short lived. She spun around with a glare at the seven scabby dwarves causing them all to fret and tremble. Their eyes remained downcast as she spun her back on them and turned her attention again to the window. **

"**Sobek should have found my Key by now," she muttered before turning her baleful gaze back on her servants. "Unless, of course, someone was lying to me about his effectiveness!"**

**Guev cowered even further as he blurted out, "Of course not, your Glowing Wonderousness! Sobek was highly recommended in all of the texts!"**

**As Glory marched the few footsteps it took her to reach him, the others wisely inched away from him. Her Most Temperamental wasn't someone you wished to speak to when she was like this. A fact which Guev (who Glory could never remember the name of, anyway) sadly had forgotten.**

"**The texts!? The texts!? The texts were recommended?" Glory's voice continued to rise as her anger was unleashed on the little shaking twerp before her. The little nothing who had the audacity to even speak to her, let alone raise his voice in her presence!**

"**And just who recommended these texts? Hmm… perhaps a little skinny blonde? Are you in league with the little bitch who stole my monk?! Huh? Are you?!"**

"**O-o-of course not, Your Grace! I serve only you, my Goddess, my Ecstasy."**

"**Ew!" Glory exclaimed in disgust. In the blink of an eye she had her hands around the troll's throat and squeezed until he stopped jerking. As she released her former servant and worshipper to the floor, she sagged back onto a settee nearby.**

"**Oh, poor little whatever your name was. Sorry 'bout that. I really cannot have the word 'ecstasy' in my brain in conjunction with your nasty little ugliness. Why don't you guys go dump his body somewhere unfindable. I'm suddenly feeling like I need a nap. Oh, and Gronx…I'm still waiting on my 'find the Key' spell. My patience, if it's still not clear, is wearing very, very thin."**

"**Your Worshipped, I believe that the little blonde you were speaking of may have all of the answers you need. If the Order of Svratka really did send the Key to her, she must have been told what its true purpose is."**

"**Do I look stupid? If it were that easy, I would have already beaten the information out of her, no matter how strong she thinks she is. No, when I found my little robed friend, he was trying to cast a locator spell. It's obvious he didn't have time to find the Key and that means he probably didn't have anything to tell the little bimbo."**

**Glory got up and crossed to the window again, still gazing out for any sign that Sobek wasn't going to disappoint her. She couldn't imagine why she thought a frickin' Egyptian crocodile god was going to do her any good. Stupid whatever his name! He deserved to be denied basking in her glorious light for eternity for misleading her. Taking a deep breath of the vanilla scented air of the apartment, she turned her mind back to her current problem. **

**It wasn't that she was particularly worried yet. She still had plenty of time to find what was hers. But she'd feel much, much happier when she had her little glowing token in her own hand where she could feel its power radiating through her. The problem was the Knights of Byzantium and whoever the Pope had helping them. Her worshippers, especially her caster, were far too incompetent to keep them off the trail for long. And the Knights wouldn't hesitate to destroy her bauble for no other reason than to be spiteful. The only way she'd know it was safe until the proscribed time, was to have it in her personal care before they showed up and ruined her going home party.**

"**Besides," she said more to herself than to Gronx, "if she's really a white hat, she'd probably let me kill her before she told me anything. Like that stupid dried up old crone in Italy."**

"**We have time your Splendid Beauty. I will locate your means home long before the destined time arrives."**

"**You better! But for now, when the others get back, have them look for the petite blonde. I want her watched…closely. If she was told where my Key is, she'll be guarding it like it's the Hope Diamond. Her very actions may point it out to us. You'd better start scrying again for the Knights, Gronxie. If they find the Key before we do, they may be able to figure out a way to destroy it…or lose it in that oversized cathedral in Rome. And I'm going to be awfully cranky if that happens!"**

**As Gronx scurried away, (_they always scurried; like humanoid rats, _Glory thought) the hell goddess returned to staring out of the window into the park below. To herself she whispered that she wasn't worried. "Even if the super-chick does have the Key and tries to hide it, it'll still be mine in the end. It was foretold. And unless there's another God walking this trash heap of a realm, that trampy twig of a girl isn't going to be able to do a damn thing about it."**

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**Buffy let herself into Riley's apartment when there was no answer to her knock. Going straight to the bedroom and the little bathroom beyond left her disappointed. He wasn't there and again she'd had trouble getting in touch with him.**

**She was kicking herself extra hard for even entertaining Giles' notion of talking to Spike, never mind actually doing it! And just like she thought, it'd ended up being a nightmare.**

**As she poured a glass of milk in the efficiency kitchenette she grimaced as she remembered the evening. Stupid Spike had tried to kiss her! And his ramblings about how they were so much alike! Hello!? She wasn't the one that had spent a century torturing and killing innocent people for kicks and she sure as hell wasn't soulless! What could they possibly have in common, except that they had both tried to kill each other more than once? **

**The whole incident made her sick to her stomach. In fact, she'd never missed more than tonight the nights when he just wanted to drain her and she wanted to stick a stake in his heart. Well, she still wanted to do that and who knew, maybe draining her was still his ultimate kick. But this whole nearly-kiss thing had her repulsed and disturbed beyond words. And it was obvious he still hadn't learned his lesson about talking trash about her boyfriend. Evil, scheming and stupid to boot…who the hell would want him?**

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**Xander popped the top off the bottle of beer and crossed into the living room. Anya was busy in the spare room using the computer to trade stocks or try to conquer the world or something. It was just as well; if she was in here now she'd be wanting to snuggle and Xan's head wasn't in the game. **

**_And it is a game, isn't it? _He took a swig of beer and listened for his internal voices, but they were silent. _Nothing to say guys? No advice about how I break Anya's heart so I can pine away after a murderous vampire in peace?_**

**_Sooner would be better than later, _Commando piped up. _And talking to Willow wouldn't hurt either, if for no other reason than some magical protection._**

**_You already know my opinion, _Hyena's growled voice echoed in his head. _Kill her instead._**

**_We are not killing her, _Commando raged before Xander could. _You're talking about the woman I was going to ask to marry us. Get over the whole 'law of the jungle' thing._**

"**I think that'd be 'law of the savannah' thing," Xander whispered before remembering that Anya was just in the next room. _But at least we're still on the same page there. Not that I think for one second that you two could force me to hurt her anyway. You may be keeping me from spilling the beans that you two ain't gone, but I still seem to be in the body's control seat._**

**_Secret's going to be blown anyway, sooner or later, _Hyena thought. _If we were still spending nights close to Spike, he'd have probably smelled us by now._**

**_That's actually a good point, _Commando agreed. _Sooner or later somebody is going to come across us. So, what are we willing to do to stop that?_**

"**Okay, guys," Xander said allowed again. Fortunately the television masked his voice from Anya's earshot. _Let's not start planning anything rash._**

**_I'm a soldier, not a murderer. _Commando's 'tone' made his received offense clear.**

**_Well, before you decide to do anything rash, Xander Harris, _Hyena said darkly, _just remember that it's probably one of us who are going to keep you alive. Especially if you keep throwing yourself into the fights. Sooner or later, Commando's hand to hand or my flexibility and agility is going to save your ass. I suggest we find some way to make this work for all of us. Starting with dumping the skirt, so we can finally grab us some dick._**

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**Buffy lay in bed flipping through a magazine on hunting. Not that she'd ever be interested in doing anything of the sort; she did that enough already night after night. But it was the only thing in the apartment to read unless she wanted to know everything there was to know about maintaining a firearm. Thankfully, Riley finally came in before things reached that level of desperation.**

**She'd already called Joyce to make sure she was still feeling well and been told to stop acting like the mom. Now she just wanted to snuggle up next to her honey and get some sleep. She was still smarting from her shoulder and tomorrow she'd have to spend the afternoon after classes searching for the April-bot. _And, oh crap, I forgot to get Tara a gift, _she realized.**

**When Riley came into the bedroom he seemed pretty subdued to see her. Even when she gave him a super-Buffy kiss, he didn't seem to perk up any.**

"**You okay?"**

"**Oh, yeah, never better," Riley replied a bit listlessly. "I'm, uh, just worn out. Patrolling was easier when I had the Initiative's chemicals to boost my energy. What did you do tonight?"**

"**Nothing much. I patrolled a little bit, but then I ran into this robot looking for her creator. She managed to toss me away and aggravate my snake wound, but I'm fine. I'll need to find her…uh, it…and stop it though before it manages to cause any more damage. On the good side, I got to see Spike thrown through a window which is always entertaining."**

**Riley wanted to confront her with her being in the Bronze with Spike. He wanted to rage at her over her hanging out with the bastard that caused him to have a heart attack. He wanted to throw in her face that he'd had to keep the vampire population down while she'd been busy with pool games. He did none of these things, he was too tired both physically and mentally to do anything but sleep.**

"**Listen, Buffy? Would you be horribly disappointed if we just slept tonight? I'm really feeling exhausted."**

"**Oh, no, of course not baby. I'm not exactly feeling randy myself tonight. In fact, I've been feeling a bit sick to my stomach all night," she said, again remembering the bizarre turn the evening had taken while interrogating Spike.**

**Riley gave her a small and insincere smile and went into the tiny bathroom. He winced as he removed his shirt and turned to stare at himself in the large mirror over the sink. His skin was pale in the harsh fluorescents of the overhead light all but around the two sets of fresh bite marks. They were luridly and angrily red and when Riley ran a digit gently over them, they stung in a way that immediately made him harden. His nipples were grievously sore where Sandy and Harmony had tugged them between their blunt teeth.**

**Thankfully the wounds themselves didn't bleed anymore. In fact once the girls had stopped sucking on him, they seemed to stop leaking relatively quickly. He could hazard a guess that their saliva contained some form of coagulant, possibly to assist in keeping their blood from running out of an artery during the siring process.**

**Riley was just grateful that there'd be no awkward questions from Buffy that he couldn't answer as he replaced his T-shirt. There was no way to mistake the injuries to his pectorals as anything but vampires and that was a fight he wasn't ready to have. He wondered if Buffy had allowed Spike to bite her yet and although the speculation caused a little guilt, it was quickly buried under despair and anger. After all, wasn't it really only a matter of time before she ended up bedding another dearly not-so-departed? Wasn't that her M.O.?**

**When he returned to the bed, he gave her a brief and distracted smile before slipping in next to her. As she turned to put out the light, Buffy murmured sleepily that she loved him.**

**Riley returned the sentiment, but then lay on his back for hours staring at the darkened ceiling. He wondered what he was doing and whether Sandy would be the death of him.**

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End Chapter 1


	2. Preparations

**The Family We Choose**

Ch 2 – Preparations

**Spike was in a right fury with the way things had ended with Buffy at the Bronze and that anger had barely lessened over the past six hours. Outside of the crypt, daylight was approaching. He could smell it in the pre-dawn air even though the little opened vents near the ceiling of the place was still showing deep darkness. **

**Harmony wasn't back yet and Spike was torn between relief and more anger. The bubble-headed bitch was supposed to have retrieved him the next time Riley visited the cathouse, but so far…nothing. He was afraid the git might end up backing off and Spike had lost his chance to show Buffy just what her "love" was up to.**

**His tracking back and forth led him near the plastic mannequin's torso that he'd been using to practice talking to Buff. It was covered in the ambient dirt of the mausoleum and still had a few dried and unidentifiable bits from the dump where it'd been retrieved. He stood stock still in the way only a vampire could staring holes into the thing.**

"**Bitch! Think you're better than me? Hah! Think you know what love is? With the Great Bloody Poof and the Cardboard King? Stupid little skirt playing games…you couldn't handle a true love. Sometimes I could just…." Spike raised a heavy dark boot and slammed it down on his faux-Buffy crushing the plasti-torso easily. Just for good measure he yelled at it, asking how good that felt for 'her'. With a vicious kick, the head was sent careening into the wall and smashed into three large chunks. He then grabbed the wig and held his lighter to it, laughing as the flames consumed it and he heard Buffy's voice in his head begging him to stop.**

**As the flames reached his fingers and began to scorch him, he dropped the flaming piece to the cement floor and watched the noxious smoke rise from its melted remains. As a calmness descended back upon him, he heard Joyce's voice in his mind: _Maybe you only think you love her, Spike. Maybe you're just obsessed with her because she's the Slayer and you haven't been able to dominate her any other way._**

"**No," he whispered, "that's not true." But he was surprised to realize the demon had come on him and he was in full fang mode. Through force of will he subdued his rage and reformed his borrowed face. Lighting a cigarette and pulling a deep drag, he wondered, not for the first time and not the last, what had happened to him; what the chip had done to his screwy brain.**

**It was this moment when Harmony decided to make her grand entrance. Spike could see the flush of her cheeks as no doubt human blood saturated her body. He envied and hated her. When was the last time he'd been able to bite into screaming flesh and felt the dregs of life slip away from his writhing victim? Hell, when was the last time he'd even allowed himself to drink from a plasma bag? No, he was a good little demon. Keeping himself existing, but not really living, on pig and cow. He felt demeaned and frustrated and having Harmony so close with that human blood in her only made him feel worse. It wasn't like he couldn't fang a fellow demon…he could bite her right now before she knew what hit her and suck until she was empty and turning to dust or whatever happened when a vampire was starved of blood.**

"**Hey blondie, what have you been doing with your evening? Isn't it beautiful tonight," she said, completely unaware of his mood.**

"**Where you been, Harms? I was expecting a little gift wrapped commando sometime tonight. What the hell happened?"**

"**Sorry, Spikey. I hung around Sandy's place as long as I could, but he just didn't show," she smoothly lied. "Don't worry though, he will sooner or later. You know how humans are. And I was able to recruit Sandy to put Riley off next time until she can find me."**

"**Strange," Spike worried at his eyebrow with a distracted gesture from his hand, "I would have thought he'd be back by now. He sure hasn't been around Buffy much as far as I can tell. I wonder what the bugger is up to?"**

**Harmony only shrugged in boredom. She was so completely finished with Spike's ridiculous infatuations with Buffy and Riley. Of course, at least it stopped him from blathering on about wonder-zero Xander. Whatever had happened to Spike with that chip in his head, he wasn't the suave Master Vampire she'd hoped for. But still, he did have his uses.**

"**Wanna fool around?"**

**Spike glanced over at her and gave her a shrug. "Sure, why not?"**

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**Later that morning found Xander playing a little hooky again from work. He'd been to the site and gotten his guys started then ducked out to go to the Bronze with Willow. While she finalized everything for tonight's celebration with Mr. Omart, insisting that Xander would have the damage repaired in no time, Xander himself was installing a new window. It was amazing how much money you could make on the side just fixing stuff the monsters broke. Not that this was Spike's fault, according to Buffy they had a robo-girl who didn't tolerate dirty talk.**

**Xander shushed mentally to Hyena whose hackles were up at the thought that the vampire was trying to make time with some bar tramp. Commando, of course, reminded Xander that he still could give it another try with Anya. Both of them were less than helpful when they couldn't agree with each other, and right now he could have used a little solidarity since he, himself, was so damned confused.**

"**Xan," Willow's questioning voice broke into his reverie.**

"**Huh? Oh, sorry, Wills. My mind drifted a bit there," he gave her a grin.**

"**Please tell me I didn't just lie my face off. You will have this thing fixed in 'no time', right?"**

**Xander gave her a brief laugh and jokingly said, "Hey…would I want to disappoint my best bud and piss off a major Wicca to boot? Don't worry. Tara's party is happening here tonight come Hellbeasts or high water."**

"**Well, you're doing a great job…uh, I guess. Construction? Not my deal, but if you need support to get it done, I'm right here for ya."**

"**Relax, Willow. Told ya…no problemo. Hey, I didn't tell you my news! I think we have a buyer on my folk's place. I mean, not that I'm not feeling a tad bit guilty what with the whole Hellmouth issue, but I figure I'll throw in a free life-savage sometime."**

"**Oh, well that's great! I mean, Anya will be happy that you can spend the extra on her instead of that mortgage, right?"**

**Willow immediately noticed a sudden change in her oldest friend's demeanor. It was nothing obvious and if they weren't so close she might have missed it. But they were that close, and she didn't. "Okay, Xan…spill it."**

**Xander shot her a bemused glance before returning his attention to what he was doing. Over his shoulder he said, "You're not using magic telepathy to read my mind, are you?"**

"**Hah! Doesn't take a mind reading spell for me to read you like a book, you know that. So come on, get it out…don't make me resort to my resolve-face again."**

"**No, we wouldn't want that, would we? It's just…I'm not sure things are working out with Anya anymore. I mean, I know they're not. And it's not even our fault really…it's just things are different now. Anyway, I know I have to break up with her and I don't know how to do it without ripping her heart out…uh…metaphorically speaking."**

"**Oh, wow," Willow said. She was caught between sympathy and elation and felt like a bitch being happy at this turn of events. Not that Anya was entirely objectionable, but she was…Anya and Xander deserved better. "I'm sorry Xander. Really. I knew there was tension between you guys lately, but I didn't realize it had gotten so bad."**

"**Things aren't ugly or anything," Xander was quick to add, "but I'm sure they will be when I dump her. It's just, that whole thing with Toth and my counterparts and all…."**

"**Oh, yeah," Willow exclaimed and went on with a laugh in her voice. "That was pretty freaksome with that Hyena-Xander tackling Spike and sucking on his neck. And then that Soldier-you admitting that Spike was really cute and…." **

**Willow's stream of Toth related babble dried up in mid sentence when she saw Xander quickly look away from her. It must have been really embarrassing remembering all of that, but what caught her off guard was the tell Xander was showing whenever he felt guilty over something. _Guilt? What would Xander have…to…feel…gui…._**

"**Oh? Oh! OH!" Willow practically screamed, as Xander's face began to burn with shame. Nothing got by Willow; she knew him too damned well for his own good.**

"**Tone it back a notch, Will. If your eyes get any wider you're going to turn into anime."**

"**Xander….I'm…uh…I'm…."**

"**Yeah, I know the feeling."**

**Willow's mouth gaped as she tried to form a coherent response before it finally snapped shut all together. In lieu of words, she went over to him and wrapped him in a big hug. She remembered quite vividly how terrifying it was when she had to explain to Buffy why Oz's return was 'complicated'. Wondering how long it would be before their friendship disintegrated…what Giles would think…she couldn't even bring herself to tell Xander; he'd had to find out during that stupid argument. Bad times, and she quickly pushed them out of her mind…things had turned out alright after all. She hadn't given the people who loved her enough credit; even her parents barely blinked when she came over with Tara in tow holding hands these days.**

"**So, uh," she started when she felt like she wasn't going to say something stupid, "Does this mean you and Spike are…you know, together?"**

"**No! No, we're just friends…sometimes. At least, when he's not trying to kill my other friends. God, no wonder Buffy was a mess when she fell for Angel. Anyway, on my part there's still these feelings that haven't gone away after we were all merged back together. It's taken awhile, Wills, but I think I was already falling for him and just didn't want to see it as far back as the 'Basement of Doom'. He's…funny, you know? I mean, sometimes he's just a jerk, but who isn't in this group?"**

"**What does he think? Oh, does he like you too…I mean in that way?" Willow was grinning broadly now, getting caught up in the whole romance of the thing. He'd seen her do the same thing with Giles and Jenny and with Buffy and Angel. Poor romantic Willow; always rooting for the underdogs to get together.**

"**Are you kidding? I'm not about to tell him that I'm checking out his face and falling into his blue eyes at every turn."**

"**Oh my god, that is so romantic!"**

**_Guess I know Willow as well as she knows me,_ Xander thought with amusement. _Did I call it or what?_**

"**It's not romantic. It's disturbing. And kinda hot, yeah, but I mean there's hurting Anya and facing what Spike does when he finally clues in and God! What is Buffy and Giles going to say after I was such an asshole with the whole Angel thing?"**

"**Hey, already been through the big fear here. But believe me Xan, if you don't at least explore this with Spike…talk it out with him, you're going to regret not taking the chance forever. And as for Anya…well, it's too bad she's going to be hurt, but…you know, thing's happen sometimes between couples."**

"**Most exes can't cast real hexes. Or invite their best Vengeance Demon friends to dump suffering on their offending ex."**

**Willow blanched, having not thought through the ramifications of pissing off Anya. Xander wished he hadn't thought that far ahead too, it would've made it easier to bite the bullet by now and get it over with.**

"**I'll start working with Tara on counter measures. I mean, just in case of a worst case scenario thing…" Willow went quiet before wrapping him in another hug.**

"**I better get back to this repair job," he said as he extracted himself. "Window's not going to repair itself…though if you could find a spell like that, it'd be real helpful around here."**

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**Tara left Choir fumbling a little with the stack of music sheets she carried when a man's hand reached out and helped her. She recognized its owner immediately, even before she glanced up at the man's face.**

"**D-donnie! Uh, hi."**

**Her brother relieved her of the stack of loose sheets and slung an arm possessively around her shoulders. "Hey T. Dad's waiting up in your room. He wants to see where a good place for your birthday dinner would be before we head out."**

"**Y-you're leaving, t-today?"**

"**We're leaving tonight. I'm telling you sis, I've missed you. Cousin Beth does too. She'll be so relieved when she can concentrate on her own family's homestead again."**

**Tara's eyes widened as fear stabbed her in the stomach. Donnie's prior comment had just occurred to her. "Daddy's up in my room?"**

"**Yeah…the R.A. let us in. You really should've cleaned up that junk, Tara. You know how he feels about you flirting with your evil powers. It don't matter how good it feels, you promised him when you left that you'd fight using 'em."**

**By the time they reached Tara and Willow's dorm room, Tara was quaking inside. She could see everything she'd worked for being torn down around her by her family. And yes, okay, she was part demon and maybe her powers did have some kind of evil attached to them, but she helped people! She used her knowledge and skills to fight the very evil her daddy was so afraid of! It wasn't right that they come here and tear her life apart. Well, she wasn't going to tolerate this; she was an adult now and could do what she wanted. She wasn't going to let even her daddy ruin what she'd found with Willow!**

**All of her bravado and determination held until she opened the door to find her father's severe features scowling in displeasure at her. He let his eyes sweep over her room: the Wicca protection symbol over the bed, the drying clumps of herbs in the window, her test tube rack of experimental potions. When his eyes met hers again, she couldn't stop herself from immediately staring at the floor, allowing her hair to cover her face in a way she hadn't in the past year. She felt five again and could only hope she didn't pee her pants when he started his ranting.**

"**I should've known you'd be too weak to be left to your own judgment, Tara." Her daddy sighed and her heart broke. "You know you're only making the demon stronger by placating it with your spells and bric-a-brac. Well, I guess it's my fault, too. You so wanted to go away to college and when I see your mother in you, I get soft. But I am very, very disappointed Tara. You promised me on the phone that you'd fight using your powers, but this looks to me like you didn't even make the attempt."**

"**D-d-daddy, I help p-people," she said in a small voice. She hated her stutter. She hated that she couldn't raise her head and meet his eyes. She hated being weak like this, but its how it had always been when he chastised her. Even coming here to California and living on her own hadn't given her the backbone to tell him to shut up and get out. **

"**Good Lord on high, do you hear yourself?"**

"**Tara, listen to daddy. He knows what you need," Donnie offered. He felt sorry for his sister, but he knew this was for the best. Once she returned home, things would be better for everyone.**

"**Who knows what darkness you've brought into people's lives with your meddling? No, you're coming home with us tonight. We'll stop somewhere on the road and eat. Now you pack your things and you go and tell your friends good-bye. We can call the college admissions office from home and tell them that you've dropped out."**

**Tara stood staring at the floor as tears flooded her eyes. She was going to be like Cousin Beth…doing all of the chores around the house and then getting married off to whoever would have her and having her workload doubled. She'd never be able to get her degree in Teaching and Literature. She'd never be allowed to have a girlfriend and marry her and maybe adopt a child someday and just have her own life that she built with her own two hands.**

"**I know this upsets you, Tara. But it's for your own good. I'm not going to let you get lost the way your poor, dead mother did. You need help to protect yourself from yourself and we'll be there for you every step of the way. Your family loves you, Tara. No matter what you've done here. Now, please, don't make things worse by disobeying me. I know you don't want me to go to your friends and bring your demon forth for all of them to see. How long do you think they'd stand by you knowing how you've lied and betrayed their trust? My way is the only way for you to know any peace of mind, girl!"**

**Tara managed to remain still and silent, despite the tears until she heard her brother's heavy tread clomping down the hallway. Then she quickly lost it in terrible sobs. But even as she cried she was determined not to take what her father was shoveling on top of her. She'd had a spell in mind for a while now, just in case it became necessary and she quickly broke out her black candles, desert sand, a symbolic black scarf to cover sight and the book holding the chant she'd need. Casting a circle with the sand and lighting the candles she reached out for the magic within her and without to blind her friends to her demon half. **

**It didn't matter if her daddy tried to summon it forth for all to see. Her friends wouldn't notice it anyway and once her family was convinced to go away and leave her alone she'd reverse it. She would harm none, as Wicca demanded and in the long run she'd be able to keep helping people. She whispered an apology directed at her daddy for her disobedience and then call upon Blind Cadria to work her will.**

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**In the hospital's locker room, Ben prepared to change from his scrubs to his street clothes. A chill ran up his spine and he hesitantly called out if anyone else was in the room with him. He received nothing in reply but a rasping sound that seemed almost too quiet to notice. But Ben did notice it; after all he was surrounded up to his neck in supernaturalness. As he crept forward, he regretted not keeping a ball bat in his locker.**

**The Lei-Ach demon crept as quietly as possible through the locker room. It was hungry and its tongue scented the air. He could smell a human nearby and he began salivating in anticipation of the human's brain. Barbs extended from the two tips of its bifurcated tongue in ready for piercing the human's skull.**

**A moment later and the Lei-Ach stood frozen and confused. The human's scent was gone and in its place came the smell of vanilla and jasmine and something else; something powerful. He was still trying to figure out what to do when a female appeared next to him, as if from thin air and grabbed him in an iron grip.**

**The smell of power was overwhelming and the demon spit out its tongue in an automatic defensive gesture. The hand tightened painfully on his throat and pushed him into a wall.**

"**Now, now," Glory said with a small and snide looking smile, "believe me when I tell you, those barbs aren't going to do you any good anyway."**

**When the Lei-Ach began to hiss something rather rude at her, she gave it a vicious shove. The demon's head connected with the wall rather solidly and it went out like a light.**

"**Goru, are you still following Ben?"**

"**I'm here Mistress," Goru said from behind her.**

"**Drag this thing to my penthouse. I have a job for it."**

"**Of course your Most Specialness," the minion bowed and scraped. It continued smiling and scraping toward his goddess as it tried to yank and pull at the Lei-Ach, all without budging it more than an inch.**

"**Oh, good gracious! Get out of my way, I'll carry it myself!"**

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End Chapter 2


	3. A Conversation with Lei Ach

**The Family We Choose**

Ch 3 – A Conversation with Lei-Ach

**Buffy entered the Magic Box to the sound of the annoying bell above the door. She wished, not for the first time, that Giles would pull the thing down, but he kept telling her it was 'quaint' and a 'touch of small town Americana' from the past. She just thought he was stuck in Oldsville. Besides, shouldn't he have something 'small town British' instead?**

**Stepping down into the main shop area, she found Willow sitting at their usual meeting table. She wondered a little jealously if Will ever went to class at all anymore. And yet somehow, she continued getting better grades than Buffy did, even when she was trying to study hard.**

"**Hey, Buffy!"**

"**Hi, Will."**

"**Okay…that was a bit lackluster. Anything wrong," the witch asked. In front of her were various books and a price-gun.**

"**Not really," Buffy sighed. "I'm trying to track down this robo-girl I ran into and I'm not having much luck. I'm afraid that she might be a bit…aggressive…in trying to find her creator. Do you think you could help me find somebody?"**

"**Nancy Drew-ing over pricing books? Are you kidding?" Willow was beaming as she pulled out her laptop and began powering the device on. **

"**Great! His name is Warren Mears, but that's all I know. I'm sure he must be a local, but I don't remember ever hearing of him. He's a major techno-geek though to put together this girl-bot. Can you take a quick peek in police records too? I'm looking for anything about a petite girl, long brown hair and very strong."**

"**Oh! I should have known!"**

"**Huh?"**

"**Oh," Willow hit the heel of her hand to her forehead. "We met this April chick already yesterday. She was looking for Warren Mears, like you said and I thought there was something odd about her. I mean…just the way she talked was kind of off somehow. So; how are your classes going…are you catching up?"**

"**Oh, yeah…they're fine. The professors have been really understanding about my having to take time off for mom. I'm pretty much through with my make up quizzes and I'm getting back into the swing of things. I mean…I'm not really ready to move back into the dorms yet. I still want to be around the house till I'm sure mom is really recovered, but class-wise, I'm good. Which reminds me; mom will kill me if I forget to tell you that you and Tara are invited to Thanksgiving this year at our house if your folks are out of town again."**

"**Oh, great! I'll let Tara know, I'm not sure if she's going home or not. It'll depend on her family I guess. I mean, I met her brother yesterday too, and he's uh…well, not very friendly."**

"**Tara's family is here?"**

"**Uh-huh. Birthday visit. She's…I don't know, Buffy. I'm kinda worried a little bit. I mean, she's so different when she talks about them. Like, remember back when she wasn't used to you guys yet and she was so shy you thought she'd sink through the floor?"**

**When Buffy nodded she remembered, Willow went on, "She's like that now. Like stuttering and stuff. She was sort of avoidy when I asked her about back home, too. I think they might not be cool, especially with witchcraft."**

"**You think its Slayer stuff?"**

"**Nah, just friendship-type stuff. I just think she needs to be reminded that people here care about her."**

"**No problem. We'll give her the bash to end all bashes and then her not very nice family will go away. I'll even deliver her invite to Thanksgiving personally so she knows it's not just 'cause she's my best friend's girlfriend."**

**By this time Buffy noticed that Giles was at the counter showing some ledger or another to Anya. She asked Willow to let her know when she'd tracked down Warren and made her way over to the counter. After a simple 'hello' to Anya, she directed Giles' attention to the mystery power-blonde. His expression wasn't very encouraging.**

"**Honestly, Buffy, I don't see what more good we can do here. There are a few possibilities if she isn't a shape-shifter, but if she is…."**

"**She could be anybody," the Slayer grumped.**

"**Exactly. However, I think we've found the Order your monk belonged to. I tried to contact them via the local constabulary. They reported they weren't able to assist me after they'd been to the Order's keep. The impression I received speaking to the officer is that they found the place in a shambles. I doubt anyone there was alive. Now, this Order of Svratka was secretive, but I do recall having seen their name crop up in the Watcher's Information Archive in London."**

"**Swell. I don't suppose you have a photographic etching of it in your brain."**

"**No," Giles replied, "but we've also uncovered some references to this 'Beast' in relation to the Dagon Sphere. It's seems only able to affect her when she isn't in her 'prison of the flesh'. Now, I'm not sure exactly what that means yet, but I think that the Watcher's Council may be of assistance."**

"**Oh, great! I'm sure their tripping over themselves to help us."**

"**Actually, and I was as surprised as you will be, but they are actually willing to talk to me. I'm going to fly to London tonight."**

**By this time, Willow had joined them at the counter and was listening with interest, as was Anya.**

**Giles continued, "Travers himself stated that I was welcome to come by for tea and to discuss this latest situation."**

"**I don't know, Giles." Buffy bit her lower lip, "I don't like this. The thought of you being over there without backup gives me a wig."**

"**Yes, well…I wasn't exactly jumping for joy at the invitation either. But Buffy, we need to know what they do and this is the only way. He refused to answer any of my questions over the phone. 'For security', he said."**

"**Just be careful. If you're not back in three days, I'll storm over there and kick their collective asses."**

"**I appreciate your wanting to protect me, but I'm sure it'll be unnecessary."**

"**But Giles," Willow said frowning, "Tara's party? You promised!"**

"**I know, dear. That's why I've booked myself on the red-eye. Don't worry; I'll be there for Tara's celebration."**

"**I'm not sure I like this idea," Anya said worriedly. "What if they ask questions about what's happening back here? You won't tell them about my ex-demon status, will you? Giles, you can't tell them! They're not a very tolerant society!"**

"**Anya? I'm sure they won't ask and you can rest assured your secret will be safe with me."**

"**Oh, well…okay, then. Good luck!" Anya gave him a small pat on the back and walked around the counter to head toward the basement storage area, no longer interested.**

"**Buffy," Willow interrupted, "I think I've got Warren. It wasn't easy; he's been trying to hide his tracks. Looks like there's been an abundance of equipment being delivered to a warehouse out on Old Woodland."**

"**Are we sure, Will?" Buffy looked ready to dash for the door.**

"**Well, the warehouse has been rented to one J. Levinson."**

"**Jonathon?!"**

"**And guess who just happened to share about half of his high school schedule?"**

"**Oh, I know this!" Buffy shared a grin with the red head, "Would it be one Warren Mears?"**

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**In a dingy back room, undecorated and looking like a large walk in closet, the Lei-Ach demon awoke with a splitting headache. It hissed and struggled to move, but found its hands and feet bound by chains. The room was drab and contained a small cot and a night table. Scenting the air revealed the same mixture of human male and something-female that it'd found in the hospital.**

"**Hello, sunshine. Did we have a good nap?"**

**The Lei-Ach reared back as far as its bindings would allow, which wasn't much at all. The woman who spoke was the same super-strong female that had so handily rendered it defenseless and its suppurating wounds wept with its fear. It hissed in question at her, not understanding why it still lived and what the blonde creature wanted of it.**

"**Relax cutie. You and I are just going to have a friendly chat. Sorry about the chains, but I can't have you doing something rash that would only have me killing you. You know, there was a time when the Lei-Achs could be counted on to spread mayhem in the streets; I mean, back when I was living in Cairo, you guys really knew how to spread the viscera. And now? Stalking lonely young doctors in locker rooms? I mean the smell alone should have you hunting elsewhere. Well, it's just sad. I guess it's a good thing I came along to give you something more worthwhile to do."**

**It hissed questioningly at her, still confused as to why it was left alive and as far as it could feel, relatively unharmed aside from the headache. Its senses were telling it again that there was power here and it wondered if she might be a dark witch. She didn't smell like any demon it was familiar with. Not that it had done a lot of hanging around with the other demon species wandering this world.**

**The demon must have blacked out again, because before it knew exactly what was going on it was being roughly manhandled by the power-vanilla-jasmine scented woman. She was screeching in his face in outrage as it struggled to clear its head through the pain.**

"…**I am beautiful and terrible and the world trembles where I step! No one nods off when I'm speaking!"**

**As the woman crossed the room huffing and puffing, the Lei-Ach had the survival instinct to hiss a muted apology and look contrite. Not that it was in the fault. It wasn't the one that gave itself a probable concussion, but obviously he was dealing with one of the hell-gods now. No one else would throw a childish temper tantrum like this.**

"**Apology accepted. But only because I know you're dealing with that head trauma thingie. Just don't let it happen again!" Glorificus took a deep breath and primped at her curls. When she felt a little more calm, she brushed her fingertips down her silk, red camisole, having not bothered with a blouse today. The silky, electric material over her skin gave her a shiver of pleasure and caused her bad mood at the demon's rudeness to evaporate.**

"**So, handsome: there's this girl, you see, who has crossed me. I'm sure you know who I mean. Short, blonde, a waist the circumference of a billiard's stick? Is this ringing any bells?"**

**The Lei-Ach hissed in reply. There could be only one girl in this area that would be stupid enough to cross a hell-god.**

"**Oh. My. Me. Please, do not tell me I lowered myself to trading blows with a Vampire Slayer! How completely humiliating! If I had friends and they heard about this…well, it's just a lucky thing that I don't. I should have known the Hellmouth would have one of those runts running around nearby."**

"**Okay, Glory, let's let it go for now." Glorificus turned her attention again to the demon and turned over some possibilities in her mind. The poor little thing was squirming under her attention, no doubt waiting for her to crush it like the insect it was next to her own power. "It's okay little baby. Glory's not going to hurt you. At least, not if you do me an eensy-teensy favor?"**

**Naturally she gave it no time to respond. "Oh, thank you sweetie! I knew I could count on you. Here's what I need…I want you to find the girl. Do Not Attack Her. I know how you demons get when you're around all that super-goodness, but this is important. You see, a long, long time ago I was separated from my home. And to get back to there, I have to have a Key. It's very special to me. Now either this little twig has it, or she's on her way to finding out where it is. Spy on her. Listen and watch; any mentions of Keys and you come back here and give me the information. If you're helpful to me, I promise you rewards that will make your species great again. If you fail me," Glory grabbed the Lei-Ach's face and her look hardened. "Well, if you fail me you'll be begging me to eviscerate you."**

"**Gren! Guar!" she bellowed.**

"**Yes, your Mighty."**

"**Take him down and send him on his way. He's going to help us. Thanks again, sweetness." With this Glory left the room without another glance back.**

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End Chapter 3


	4. Buffy Vs April

**The Family We Choose**

Ch 4 – Buffy vs. April

**As the afternoon wore on toward evening, Buffy pulled up before a non-descript warehouse on a little used road to nowhere. She exited Joyce's jeep and did a circuit around it, paranoid that the rumbling over the dirt tract may have left a dent somewhere. Thankfully, it was just dusty and she thought that would be forgivable.**

**As she banged at the front door she heard a slight whirr and noticed the camera mounted above her head focusing on her. She waited a few moments and then banged the door again, this time a little harder. She didn't need games right now; she still needed to find something for Tara. Especially, if she was going to be buying the sweater she'd considered for herself instead.**

"**C'mon Warren! I know you're in there and I need to gab about April!"**

**The door finally opened and Buffy pushed her way past a dark haired man. As she turned to face him she gazed over the interior space with a critical eye. A far wall held a worktable with a figure draped over it. Apparently, there was another robot waiting to make the scene. It annoyed her since he hadn't kept the April-bot under control. That he'd be building another one seemed irresponsible. _Ugh, God! I sound like mom!_**

"**We need to talk about your…uh…girlfriend," she said tapping her foot impatiently.**

"**Oh, yeah…uh, April…well, she's not really an ordinary kind of girl."**

"**Yeah, I got that when I met her."**

"**No, you don't understand…"**

"**Look, I get it. And I don't really need to know the personal details of your…uh…relationship. I just need you to help me stop her before somebody gets hurt. She's obviously not very stable when it comes to locating you."**

"**No, really…you don't understand what you're dealing with. April is…well…she's an…uh…ROBOT!"**

"**Uh-huh," Buffy replied nonchalantly. Warren obviously meant to shock her because he was standing there now, looking befuddled. "So; about stopping her?"**

**Warren gave a nervous glance over at the tarp-covered figure and then invited Buffy to sit on a stool. Buffy noticed him perspiring, but she didn't really have any interest in whatever warped robo-harem he was working on. She just wanted him to be more careful about it. Sure, it was really twisted having a robotic love slave, but seeing as how she'd been sleeping with a vampiric animated corpse not so long ago, it was a little difficult to throw stones.**

"**April was an, uh, project that I…outgrew," Warren said as he wiped a hand over his moist forehead. "I left her unplugged and her batteries should have easily run down by now and turned off."**

"**Well, hate to break it to you, but she's very much…um…active. She's also looking high and low for you. I need your help in stopping her before somebody gets hurt."**

"**She won't hurt anyone! I mean I didn't build her to be violent."**

"**No, but you did build her to 'love' you, didn't you? Love makes anyone do the wacky. She's already managed some property damage, not to mention sending me across a room."**

"**I don't understand how she's still functioning," Warren said with another nervous glance at his shrouded figure on the table.**

"**I'm thinking right now, the important thing is to turn it off. You're going to have a lot better luck than I am with that."**

**Warren nodded his head in the affirmative, but was worried about confronting his creation. "I'll help how I can," he relented, "but I'm not sure how she'll react. I mean, somehow, she's already managed to not power off and her programming is a little, uh, quirky when it comes to me as it is. She might not accept my orders to shut down at this point."**

"**Can't you just remove her batteries?"**

"**No, it's not that simple. The pack is built deep inside her abdomen in a surrounding box of heavy insulated mesh. I wanted to protect them from any damage during any strenuous activities. But, I'll try. If I remain in a public site, she should be able to trace me."**

"**Okay. I've got my mom's jeep outside. Any idea where it'd be looking for you?"**

"**No…but she probably wouldn't be running around randomly. There must be a logical pattern with her searching."**

"**Well, there was the Bronze incident last night and I think I saw it heading north."**

"**Foster's Woodland is in North Sunnydale. We may be able to intercept her at the play area there. That should be public enough for her to find me."**

"**Then let's go," Buffy said. **

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**By the time April had managed to find them, Buffy had worked herself up to a furious pace back and forth. Warren was even more nervous now. Although she may not have realized it yet, he was fully aware of her Slayer-strength, and she really looked like she needed to hit something.**

**Buffy glanced at her watch again, something she'd been doing every two minutes for the last forty five. She needed to swing by the house, take a shower, grab Dawn, try Riley's apartment and get a gift bought and wrapped in the next two or so hours. In the meantime, it was just starting to get dark and the air was chilling rapidly. She had only dressed for the mild day and was getting antsy about getting this whole thing done and over.**

"**Warren! I've finally found you. You were lost!"**

"**Uh, hi April," Warren fidgeted. "Um, how are you feeling?"**

"**I was worried. My power cord came out somehow and my batteries nearly ran out. And then I couldn't hear you and I thought you'd been hurt and then you were gone and I thought you may have been kidnapped!"**

"**No, I, ah, I've been fine. Uh, sorry I had to leave. Uh…."**

"**Warren," Buffy huffed, "just tell her to, you know, so we can both get back to our own lives."**

"**Tell me what, Warren?" April stood with her beaming smile. Buffy felt a little sorry for her, even though she probably wouldn't have real emotions. She remembered Ted also simulated feelings, but had he really had them? She hoped that April didn't.**

"**Listen…uh, April…honey," Warren hemmed until he caught sight of Buffy glaring at him with that 'I need to hit something' look again. "April, there's been a change of direction in my research. I need to terminate this experiment. I'd like it if you would shut down for me."**

"**Shut down? I don't understand, Warren. Have I done something to displease you?"**

"**No! No; not at all. I'm just, um; I don't have the time to be a proper boyfriend right now."**

"**Oh, you're always an excellent boyfriend Warren. You are smart and sexy and attentive and clever and imaginative."**

"**Oh, good grief," Buffy muttered.**

"**April, I just… I really need you to power off. Now."**

**Instead of responding to his command, April's eyes squinted with what appeared to him to be hostility. She took a footstep in his direction and he quickly backpedaled. Sweat began dripping down his face and under his arms.**

"**You're confusing me with your illogical instructions. I was built for you and only you, Warren! I can't just power off and leave you alone in the world with no sex!"**

"**A-april, now…now, just calm down here. I'll be fine, I, uh, I'm not going to be sexless. Uh…"**

**Buffy could see Warren beginning to panic and quickly tried to intercede between builder and buildee, but his mouth was still running. Her heart started to fall, recognizing a babblefest when she saw one. She was best buds with Willow, after all. And her babble usually didn't end well.**

"**Uh…Buffy is providing for my sexual needs, now!" Even as Warren blurted it, he knew that wasn't the right argument. His mouth seemed to have been disconnected from his brain as soon as April had started advancing. She was programmed to never strike him, but so far she'd been doing a lot of things that he didn't recognize as his instruction set.**

"**What!?" Buffy could not believe her ears. _What the hell does he think he's doing!?_**

**For a moment, April seemed to be struggling to assimilate this new information. It was brief and Buffy immediately recognized the pissed-bot look she sported before in the Bronze. When April proceeded to growl, Buffy's heart completed its downward mobility into the pit of her stomach.**

"**Oh, crap," she said.**

"**Oops!" Warren had exclaimed at the same time. **

**Buffy spared a quick glance in his direction, hoping she'd see him about to fix April's misperception and get this thing back under control. Instead she saw his back and pumping arms as he ran away! _Oh, thanks a lot!_**

"**No one is Warren's girlfriend except me! I provide all of his sexual needs." She advanced, completely ignoring Buffy's desperate attempt to head off the physical confrontation.**

**As April's robo-grip tightened on Buffy's shoulders and painfully squeezed, she head-butted the robot in the face. It succeeded in knocking her off, but Buffy yelled as her head felt like it'd connected with a steel beam.**

**Reacting quickly, she went into a high kick as April again tried to clamp her hands around her. The robot stumbled back and issued another growl. Buffy was really wondering if maybe she didn't have emotions after all. She certainly seemed homicidally angry and jealous.**

**Buffy balled her fists and gave April two back handed punches to the face, but then the 'bot swung and caught her in the side. Buffy was sent flying into a slide and she flipped up and over the children's plaything, landing roughly in the sand surrounding the equipment. **

**April followed her over; jumping over the same slide and landing on her spread feet above Buffy in the sand. She reached down and began choking Buffy in a grip that was unbreakable, no matter how Buffy twisted at her wrists.**

**Thinking quickly, she noted April's awkward stance, standing straddled over her. Buffy kicked up, catching April in her robo-ass and sending her stumbling and falling into the sand over Buffy's head. That didn't slow her down as long as the Slayer had hoped though, and she lashed out with a kick, catching Buffy in the forehead and stunning her.**

**Slayer healing was able to allow her to recover as April returned to her feet and before she could capitalize on her strength advantage, Buffy was able to return to her feet as well. She delivered a hard kick to April's mid section, sending the 'bot backward again. She was about to deliver another high kick to April's face, when the robot simply stopped. **

**Her facial features relaxed and she had stopped snarling.**

**As Buffy watched with a growing sense of sympathy, again, April half stumbled to a set of children's swings and sat down heavily. To Buffy, she really did seem despondent and she hoped that some vengeance demon paid Warren a visit if he really had managed to give the girl true emotions only to abandon her this way.**

**She sat down next to April. Watching carefully for any signs of renewed hostility, Buffy noticed the sodium lights coming on around them as night fell.**

"**I don't understand why Warren has replaced me."**

"**He…he's just, uh, a jerk, I guess."**

"**Maybe I wasn't constructed well enough. Or maybe I didn't utilize my pleasure programs effectively. Why does he prefer you to me, when I was programmed to be his perfect girlfriend?"**

**Buffy didn't bother to correct the lie. It seemed pointless now. With April's labored speech patterns and her immobility, Buffy correctly guessed that her power reserves, wherever they had come from, were depleted. "I don't know. Sometimes, no matter how much two…uh…people may wish differently, it just doesn't work out."**

"**Maybe he will decide that you aren't better than me if I sit here patiently. Maybe this is a test?"**

"**Maybe it is. If you want, you can cry. I mean if you're able. Sometimes I find that that helps me," Buffy said, nearly coming to tears herself.**

"**Good girlfriends don't cry. That's emotional blackmail. I'd be a bad girlfriend if I cried."**

"**Oh," Buffy said. Again she thought Warren really deserved something harsh to happen to him. Something involving gangrene and his penis, maybe.**

"**The lights are dimming away. How will Warren find me when he changes his mind?"**

**Buffy looked at the lights, which of course were fine and as bright as they were supposed to be. A single tear slipped down one cheek. She felt that April deserved to have a tear and if she couldn't provide it for herself, then she could have Buffy's.**

"**I'll make sure that he knows where to find you. He told me, uh, that he was already thinking about breaking up with me and going back to you. He, um, he just hadn't decided what to do yet. So, you know, I'm sure that he is missing you still."**

"**Yes. Yes, he'll decide to come back fo-" April came to a stop in mid sentence and Buffy glanced over toward her. When she reached over and closed the robot's eyelids, there was no reaction and Buffy felt even more sad for her.**

**Twenty minutes later, she'd managed to pull herself together. She loaded the robot in the back of Joyce's jeep. She'd take it to the Magic Box for storage or deconstruction or something. **

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**Warren stumbled into the warehouse after paying off the taxi driver. He immediately ran to the cell phone dropped haphazardly on one of the unused pallets in the place. Dialing quickly, he waited for Andy-Pamby to answer.**

"**We've got an issue," he said. "Call short round and get over here. We need to relocate immediately." After a moment of listening to pointless questions, he interrupted, "Never mind what all has happened. The Slayer knows we're here. Thankfully she didn't see it, but we can't risk her coming back – get over here!"**

"**She isn't the only one to track you down," Warren heard from behind him, spinning startled.**

"**W-what do you want," Warren swallowed. He recognized the pale, white haired thing standing in front of him. Finding out the major players was one of the first things he did when he'd first thought of using Adam to establish his own lucrative gang. Now, he was kicking himself for not having anything on him. It was all in his coat pocket that was hanging way too far away for him to get to before the vampire turned him into a meal.**

**Spike stood a moment just enjoying the smell of fear coming off the human. Obviously the wanker wasn't aware that he couldn't do anything harsher than glower right now. It was a rare moment these days when someone emitted that tantalizing scent and Spike savored it before getting down to business.**

"**You built that robo-chick. I can think why. I'm here to place an order."**

"**Oh, uh, I'm not building that sort of robot anymore."**

**Spike stared at Warren hard until he could see the human fidget. The renewed burst of fear was intoxicating and he allowed himself to morph into his game face. With the slightest trace of a grin, Spike said, "Unfortunate."**

**As he'd expected, Warren immediately caved in front of him.**

"**Of course, for you…I'd be happy to make the exception! Uh, just…I, uh, just need the specifications you're looking for."**

"**All right here, mate." Spike pulled out an envelope from under his jacket. Within was a single sheet of paper on which he'd written what he wanted the robot included with. There were short blurbs on family and friendship histories, examples of Buffy's speech patterns, and a section Spike called 'special programming'. Most importantly on the bottom of the sheet and written in larger script than the rest he'd included: MUST PASS AS A TWIN OF BUFFY SUMMERS. This he'd underlined twice and included a snapshot photo of the Slayer that he'd stolen.**

**He watched Warren with interest as the young man read the sheet of paper and noted his wide eyes as he reached the bottom. Warren bit at his lower lip for a moment and then returned his gaze to Spike, who had de-morphed in an attempt to appear reasonable.**

"**I don't know about this. I mean, I'll do it! I'm just saying that Buffy….if she finds out about this…."**

"**You let me worry about her. She won't know a thing and let's just say that I'm not intending to have the 'bot hanging out in Sunnydale long term. How long?"**

**Spike's intentions were true enough. He just wanted a piece of the Slayer until he could have the real thing. Sure, she'd reacted negatively to his pass, but after all she was a loyal do-gooder. He should have realized she'd be scandalized by the thought of cheatin' on Dudley Do-Right. It was just bad timing on his part. He'd use the Buffybot as a filler and a way to test his pick up lines and being 'sensitive' and await his chance at the real thing. He was still absolutely sure that her and Riley were headed for the big break up, he had confidence that soldier-boy wouldn't leave Sandy alone for long.**

"**Two weeks. I'll meet you here right after dusk. And then I leave healthy and in one piece, right?"**

"**Too true, mate. You give Spike what he wants and Spike doesn't get testy on you."**

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End Ch 4


	5. Domesticity

**The Family We Choose**

Ch 5 – Domesticity

**It was just after seven when Buffy returned home. In the Jeep's storage area, April lay un-powered and Buffy was going to drop her off at the Magic Box before hitting the Bronze. Tara's surprise party wasn't until nine, but how Willow was getting her there without blowing the party plans, she wasn't too clear on.**

**As she stepped into the front foyer she couldn't help but notice the large bouquet of flowers sitting on the tiny table to her left. A vase had been filled to near bursting with carnations of every conceivable pastel color and their scent filled the area.**

"**Oh! Wow, what's all this?" Buffy took a peak inside the card attached to a plastic trident jutting from the arrangement. 'To a Beautiful Lady,' the note stated, 'Wishes for a speedy recovery. I look forward to a dancing date when you're better – Brian'.**

**_Wow. Some guys know how to do things right,_ she thought. Of course that wouldn't save Brian from a thorough investigation. There was no way she was risking another Ted-incident.**

"**Mom? Mom?" Buffy called as she headed deeper into the house. It seemed quiet and that always made her Slayer senses tingle, even when it turned out nothing was wrong.**

**As she pushed open the kitchen door, she smiled in relief as Joyce stood behind Dawn at the central island. She was braiding Dawnie's hair and fastening plastic flowers into it. She'd also apparently allowed Dawn to apply some light make-up.**

"**Hey, mom, what's up with this Brian guy?"**

"**A dealer that sells things to the gallery," Dawn answered. "He's been hitting mom up for a date."**

"**He's really very polite," Joyce added.**

"**And does this Brian guy have a last name?"**

"**Mom won't tell me," Dawn said.**

"**And I'm not telling you either," her mother glanced back over her shoulder. "I'm not having you interrogate him. At least, not until after we've had a first date."**

"**You know I just worry," Buffy defended herself. "You're a marvelous woman, mom, and the guy has to be special if he wants to see you. Besides, we've been through this."**

**Joyce sighed, but she was grinning as she answered. "I know, but I've seen Brian in the sunlight…so no vampire and he doesn't have any horns, scales, or pointy teeth. I'm pretty sure he's not a demon. After I've had dinner and dancing, you can check into whether he's another homicidal robot, okay?"**

**Buffy smiled as well before leaning in to kiss her mom on the cheek. "Just get me a last name, and I'll have Willow know his whole life history in a day. Including his credit report…I mean, after all, it would help to see what the guy was really worth before you embark on a new romance."**

"**You're so romantic," Joyce said sarcastically. "I'll let you snoop after I see how he dances. Now, are you two ready for Tara's birthday?"**

"**Totally!" Dawn bounced until her mother placed a heavy hand on her shoulder. As soon as she was still again, Joyce went back to arranging her daughter's hair. "I got her this really nice silver chain. It was on sale, 40 percent off!"**

"**Well, I haven't even had time to shop at all," Buffy harrumphed. "I'm gonna have to grab something lame at the Magic Box and probably bribe Anya to gift wrap it for me."**

"**Well, you girls just have a good time. I'm afraid I'm not going to be able to make it. But, I want you to take my gift to her."**

"**Are you okay, mom?" Buffy worriedly bit her lower lip. She thought that they'd gotten through this.**

"**I'm fine, sweetheart. I think I tried to do a little too much today. I just can't stand not being back to my old self yet and now I've worn myself out. Please apologize to Tara for me, won't you… there Dawn; you're all set and looking lovely."**

**As Dawn and Buffy gathered their things together to leave, Joyce reminded them to have a good time and to try not to meet anything evil. She also pointedly told her eldest that her youngest had only had a sandwich the whole day, to which Buffy promised to see to it that Dawn had something real to eat before all of the junk food. **

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**In the Magic Box, Anya and Giles were clearing up and getting ready to close down the shop early. Anya wasn't pleased with the early closing, as she hoped to make a few more dollars before Tara's party, but she brightened when Buffy pulled out a pocketful of cash and asked for help in finding something nice.**

**As Buffy and Dawn entered the shop, no one noticed that they hadn't come in alone. For their part, the Lei-Achs; a group of three; had nearly been startled into a panicked escape when the Slayer had walked right near them. Terror had turned to wonderment and puzzlement when she didn't immediately attack them. And their puzzlement turned into a glee when they realized she wasn't reacting at all because she apparently didn't see them. Assuming that the hell-goddess had used some spell, the Lei-Achs slipped through the door, following behind the girls. It was difficult not to hiss in menacing excitement at the thought that they were unknowable and untouchable with their protective screen of invisibility. The leader, and the one whom Glory had 'recruited', pointed toward the rear and a side hallway and waved on his companions. He had them check for any other people that may be inside.**

**From behind the group, the door bell tinkled and Willow walked through, all smiles.**

"**Hey, guys!"**

"**Will! Thank god you're here," Buffy said quickly, "I haven't had time to shop! Quick, what does Tara need…I got fifty bucks!"**

"**Relax, Buffy," Willow said as she crossed behind the register counter. Bending she opened one of the paneled shelves and pulled out an assortment of blessed soaps, candles and incense – all of these were wrapped in a basket with clear plastic. "I thought with everything going on, you may not have time to get to the mall. I put this together during a research break. All together, twenty-two dollars."**

"**Wow. That was actually a good idea," Anya approved. "You should've put that together for our other customers. I'm sure we could charge thirty-five."**

"**Buffy?" Dawn looked at her sister warily. Her sister was suddenly wearing a cautious and confused look. "What's up?"**

"**Huh. Oh, nothing, I guess. I just…I thought my Slayer sense was dinging. Never mind, I'm sure it's that really annoying bell on the door."**

"**It's not annoying," Giles insisted, again, "It's charming."**

"**By the way, Buffy," Willow inserted, "where's Riley?"**

"**These days? Who knows. But he's supposed to be at the Bronze at around nine-thirty."**

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**Across town, Riley Finn strode into Willy's tavern looking for Sandy. He found her waiting for him at a small corner booth and immediately ordered them drinks.**

**As they chatted amiably, his concentration was rooted to her mouth and the fangs that he couldn't see. His bite marks itched and tingled and he wanted nothing more than to rush them both to her 'studio' where she could make him feel needed. **

**He didn't do this, however. He needed to be at the Bronze to celebrate Tara's birthday. He was pretty sure it wouldn't go over well if he came stumbling in pale and high. Besides, he was really trying to stop for Buffy's sake. Things had gone from innocent experimenting to something akin to having a lover on the side, and he was wracked with guilt.**

**On the other hand, he wasn't ready to walk away from the euphoria he felt whenever Sandy held him. And the other night with Harmony in the mix was mind blowing.**

**He was going to have to end this before he got caught, there was no question. But for right now, a friendly chat and a drink wasn't going to hurt anyone.**

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**Tara left her dorm room for the walk to the Magic Box. Willow had been pretty insistent on her meeting there this evening. It wasn't hard to guess why; surely there'd be a 'surprise party' awaiting her. It was a sweet thought, but Tara's mind wasn't on celebrating.**

**Her fretting over her family's arrival and her nascent inner-demon was interrupted by Beth's sudden appearance. She jumped a little, startled by her cousin's unannounced presence. _What is she doing here?_**

"**Beth! Uh, you startled me," Tara said. She looked for her brother and father, but it appeared Beth was by herself.**

"**Sorry, hon. I just came by to help you pack. I mean, I know you'll be leaving most of your things behind. All that witch stuff and everything, but you still have clothes to get bundled for the drive home."**

"**Beth, I-I'm not leaving tonight."**

"**What," Beth said, confused. "But your daddy said…"**

"…**I know. I have to talk to him, but I'm an adult now. I'm not ready to go back home. I-I have a life here, you know?"**

**Tara was taken aback at the anger that Beth suddenly displayed. She was confused at the hostility she saw in her cousin's eyes.**

"**You selfish, bitch!"**

"**What?!"**

"**How dare you?" Beth began to rant, "How dare you leave your poor father and brother alone in that house with no one to cook and clean for them? I don't know why they let you go in the first place, but you listen to me you selfish cow; they need you home! There's chores to be done and they need somebody to take care of them!"**

**Tara shook her head in dismay, "Beth, daddy and Donnie are grown men. They can take care of themselves."**

"**Men don't do housework!" Beth was nearly screaming now, only the fact that they were surrounded by other people kept her from raising her voice further. "And I have my own kin to look after. Besides, you know you can't stay here. Your demon is gonna ruin everything anyway if you don't come home."**

"**No, it won't! I-I can control it. I know I can!"**

"**Oh, Tara," Beth said with a little more sympathy, "do you really think your daddy is gonna take that chance? And what are your supposed friends gonna say when it's revealed?"**

"**T-they won't know. They don't n-need to know. I've…uh, i-it won't show."**

"**Well, of course it's going to show, Tara! How can it not? With you casting spells and…"**

**Tara looked away suddenly, feeling immense guilt. She wasn't good at being sneaky and she should have known everything would be written across her face.**

"**Oh, my god! You've cast a spell on them, haven't you!? I'm telling!"**

**As Beth began to stomp away, Tara grabbed her around the arm. Beth immediately screeched that she'd better let go and not try any of the 'hexing stuff', but Tara was far too distraught to worry about spell throwing.**

"**P-please! Please, Cousin Beth, please…don't t-tell. I promise; it was harmless! It was just so that they wouldn't see…s-see what's in me. I-it won't hurt anyone, I p-promise."**

"**Tara," Beth said with her features caught somewhere between disgust, anger and sympathy, "Tara, don't you see how out of control you are? Your family should have come long before now. Hell, we shouldn't of let you go in the first place. But everything is going to be better when you get away from here and these California attitudes of anything goes. Now, I have to tell your father what you've done. I'm sorry. If I were in your shoes, I'd go and confess everything to your friends and then get ready to say goodbye to them."**

**Tara nodded sadly, barely able to keep the tears suppressed. She watched as Beth marched away toward wherever her father had parked the R.V. Swiping at her bleary eyes, Tara turned and went toward the Magic Box. Everyone was going to hate her when they found out she'd spelled them, but she never meant anyone any harm.**

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**Harmony came noisily in through the underground tunnel network and into her and Spike's love pad. She was loaded down with pretty dresses in her size and feeling like a princess of the world. Spike was smoking, of course, and lying on the bed. He held his poetry book again and she caught his furtive movements to hide it under a pillow. Maybe he hid it because he was afraid that reading Yeats would make him seem weak, but Harmony liked that she secretly knew he had depths. Of course, if he was so worried about looking weak, he'd stop worrying about what happened to the Slayer and the Loser-Friends.**

"**Lookie, Spike! Aren't some of these to die for? I mean, they are so pretty. And they were on sale!"**

"**You paid for something," Spike replied unconvinced.**

"**Don't be silly. I just killed the clerk. Still, bargain shopping is fun!"**

"**So, what are your plans this evening?" Spike tried to sound casual, but couldn't stop himself from adding, "Not going to be hanging around gibbering away at me, are you?"**

**Harmony sighed, but then put on a pleasant expression. He had no idea the fun that she was planning on having tonight. "I'm going out for a bite to eat somewhere, then maybe a drink down at Willy's and finally over to the 'House' to see if Riley shows up tonight."**

"**Hmm. You seem awfully chipper about hanging around the old cat house."**

"**Well, you know how much I like to help you, sweetums. Besides, it's hard not to be in a good mood. I heard through the grapevine that some big demoness has hired or recruited or something that trio of homeless Lei-Achs to slay the Slayer. The thought of Buffy getting hers always fills me with a sense of joy. Plus maybe she'll kill one or two of them first, I mean, those things are just disgusting with all of that wound-weeping stuff. Gross! Why can't they just hang out under a pier somewhere with the other icky homeless, anyway?"**

"**Oh, yeah? Where's all this going down, then?"**

"**I'm not sure, to tell you the truth. Does it matter?"**

"**I guess I better head for the Magic Box, then."**

"**Why, Spike? Afraid your little gal-pal is going to bite it?"**

"**From a trio of Lei-Achs? Yeah, right! No, I gotta make sure Xander doesn't wind up in the middle of it, as usual."**

"**That's who I was talking about," Harmony said snottily.**

"**You watch who you're insulting in my home, you bloody sow!"**

"**God! I'm so sick of this. You are just pathetic, Spike. You should be helping to wipe out all of the Scooby gang so we can have the Hellmouth to ourselves. When did you turn into such a wimp?"**

"**Don't like it, then leave! It's not like I actually need you around here," Spike raged. **

"**Well, I should leave! It would serve you right for not appreciating me!"**

"**Well, don't let the tomb door hit you in the ass on your way out!" Spike stomped off through a tunnel entrance.**

"**Fine! Maybe I just will! Sometime, soon! You bloody jerk!" Harmony stormed up the rough hewn steps and out of the tomb door on her way out. _The door doesn't even swing out this way; it can't hit me in the ass! That idiot!_**

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End Ch 5


	6. Buffy Vs Lei Achs

**The Family We Choose**

Ch 6 – Buffy Vs. the Lei-Achs

**As Giles came back from the rear office with a large gift-wrapped box, Buffy once again felt a shiver cross over her skin and down her back. She peered around the shop, puzzled, but again things seemed quite normal. Willow and Anya were sniping at each other over which name tag design should go on Buffy's gift; Dawn was fiddling with her hair and rolling her eyes at them. Giles, of course, was the first to sense his Slayer's mood and shot her a questioning glance. As she met his eyes, she gave an imperceptible shrug of her shoulders, but her eyes revealed she was antsy about something.**

**Once, Giles might have (no, he would have) simply told her she was being paranoid. But now, with Buffy's increased meditation exercises and her experience he had a new respect for the intuition she'd displayed more than once. Without alarming the others he quieted his own mind and movements and tried to 'feel' the room. Even without supernatural senses of his own, he'd been a Watcher long enough to know when he was being watched. Again he met Buffy's eyes and this time gave her an imperceptible movement of his own. A simple flick of his head in the suggestion of a nod and he could see Buffy getting ready for trouble.**

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**Tara rushed toward the Magic Box, afraid that her father would preempt her admittance that she'd made a mistake by placing a spell on her friends. Lord knew she loved him, but he could be mighty headstrong when he was angry and once Beth blabbed her big mouth it was likely he'd rush to the store and rat her out. He'd see it as his duty to warn them, but Tara also recognized that he probably would expect that they'd help run her out of town and back to Bayou Country once they knew the truth. And he was probably right. In fact, she deserved to have them shut her out. She just wished that she hadn't hurt Willow, like this.**

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**In the shop, the Lei-Achs looked to their leader for instructions. They couldn't speak or hiss, for they didn't know if they were also shielded to sound or not but with a few gestures he'd make his plans known.**

**The head of the three was deep in thought as he watched the Slayer so close, not to mention the young one. He could scent their brains and the wonderful bio-chemicals they produced and the thought that they were there for the taking was more than he could stand. And when he could spread that he'd been the one to slay the Slayer…well, what more could a demon on this world want?**

**Of course, that would be directly ignoring his instructions by the Hell-bitch, but she wasn't here right now, was she? And couldn't they get out of town long before she found out what they'd done? And really, she was a god! Surely, she could find some other way to locate her hellish key than the old 'spy and report back' plan?**

**He looked over at his two compatriots and realized that they would have already torn into the humans if it wasn't for their respect toward him. The hunger in their eyes was palpable and only served to further inflame his own. He gave a silent and ghastly smile and a nod of the head to let them know that the plans had changed. They had anticipated as much and both nodded back in agreement. With another nod of his head, the leader sent one of them to the front door, where he quietly turned the lock, unnoticed. **

**When he'd returned to the main floor, the demons closed in on their prey. The leader would get to feed on the Slayer of course. His number two would enjoy the girl and the third of the trio chose to stand behind Giles.**

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**As Tara approached the door to the shop, she faltered just a bit as she ran through her mind exactly what she'd say. She had to get this right; had to make them understand that she'd never hurt them or allow her demon-self to hurt anyone. She'd take their accusations and she'd remain strong. They'd at least listen to her as long as she didn't fall apart and could get her point across. And then, well…then the chips would fall where they would.**

**At the same time, Spike arrived outside of the alley door of the Magic Box and gave the door a try. As per usual when Buffy was there, the door was unlocked. She often took breaks during research to come out here and pace or do breathing exercises and when she wasn't being really pissy, he'd join her and smoke. **

**_Or at least that's what used to happen, _Spike thought bitterly, _before I ruined it with that…well, never mind. The important thing is I'm working my way back in and if I can help with the Lei-Ach deal, maybe I won't be a pariah anymore. _**

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**Buffy felt the hairs on the back of her neck raise and felt all of her muscles tense in anticipation. She gave Giles a look and indicated that Dawn was his responsibility while she was otherwise engaged. He acknowledged that he understood. There was no need for it actually, as he was already inching his way in the younger Summers'/Key's direction.**

**When Giles heard the faintest hiss of breath behind his left ear, he immediately and without thought drove his elbow behind him, feeling a solid impact as something grunted in surprise and he hoped pain. Yelling for Anya and Willow to get down, he snatched a yelping Dawn from her stool and took both of them into a roll to the floor.**

**In the meantime, Buffy let her instincts direct her as she brought her own elbow up and back, solidly connecting with something that hissed so loud, everyone clearly heard it above the general din. She followed this with a low kick and this too connected, but she still couldn't see anything.**

**Anya screeched and fumbled with the axe behind the counter wanting to know what was going on. Willow for her part was urging Giles to get Dawn to safety; something he was already doing to the best of his ability.**

**Picking up the teen, Giles dragged her up the two steps toward the front door. Once there, he grabbed the round table on which sat some books displayed, and yanked it hard. Tugging Dawn down with him, he placed himself and her into a makeshift defensive corner using the bookshelf now behind him and the front wall of the shop to his side. The table was brought down with a crash in front of them, limiting the space that the mysterious attackers could approach him from. **

**As Dawn alternated between peeking at Buffy and hunching down and yelling for an explanation from anyone who would answer, Giles was fumbling behind his back. Yanking the bottom row of musty gothic romance novels used as a cover from the bottom row of shelves, he pulled the wickedly sharp silver dagger he'd had stowed there for just such an emergency. Once armed, he hissed at Dawn that they were under attack and she needed to be quiet so they could hear their invisible foes. Dawn, bless her, quieted immediately and curled her self into as small a ball as possible to make her less of a target.**

**Behind the counter, Anya was swinging the hand ax randomly and wildly. She nearly hacked off her other hand with one wild swing and almost beheaded Willow twice before the witch was able to grab her and pull her to the floor with her. Once there, Willow hissed at her to shut up and let Buffy focus. In the meantime, Willow was raging at herself for not being able to remember a 'yank the cloud back' spell. She knew the meditation spell Buffy tried when she thought Joyce was being hexed could have helped, but she also knew trying to meditate while your life was in danger was way beyond her.**

**Buffy grabbed a quick look to see where Dawn was, and saw Giles point down behind a table he was currently crouched behind. Her breath of relief was cut short when something with a hell of a punch sent her to the floor. With the weight of something humanoid pressing down on her back, she didn't think she had the leverage to get it off of her, but she struggled anyway.**

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**Spike was just crossing through the training area at the rear of the shop, when he heard the commotion start in the main shop area. Throwing caution to the wind, as he always had, he barreled onto the main floor to see Buffy being straddled by a brain-sucker. Not slowing down, he crashed into the beast, sending both of them flying onto the steps. The thing recovered faster than Spike would have liked under the circumstances. With the Bit in the place, he didn't have time for fun, but the thing was ready for him and led him into a wrestling match.**

"**Don't worry Slayer, I got this one! Grab the one going for the Bint and Red!"**

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**Buffy was lying on the floor struggling to get free of whatever had her when she felt the weight suddenly release. Not delaying to think, she immediately leaped to her feet and gave a round house kick, but got only air. **

**She heard Spike yell for her to get to Willow, but then two clawed hands grabbed at her wrists and she head butted forward catching something and knocking it back. It had felt like she'd hit the thing's chest, which meant she needed to start aiming a little bit higher.**

**Unseen by any except Spike, one of the Lei-Achs was behind the counter and menacing Anya and Willow. And though he could hear the girls' heavy breathing, they didn't appear to be putting up any fight. He yelled at Buffy to get to them, but before she could react, he saw her get shoved by a third demon. It was a hard shove and she flew into a shelving unit then began to punch wildly at the air. There was not time for him to wonder what the hell she was doing though, because his own fight was starting to go badly.**

**Outside the shop, Tara screamed, already well aware that the attackers were demons and because of her spell no one would be able to see them. Unfortunately, without the ingredients she used in the spell she couldn't break in from outside. She needed to get in and get close to at least one of the affected. Grabbing the door she found it locked and yelled at Willow that there was one right in front of her!**

**Willow and Anya both turned to see Tara screaming at the door and trying to get it open. They immediately caught that there was a demon in front of them, even though they couldn't see anything. **

**Anya swung her ax again and caught something, which hissed in either pain or anger. She couldn't tell which. And then she was picked up and thrown over the counter to land painfully on the floor.**

**Willow was busy chanting any words that would come to her trying to convince whatever powers that be to just let them see clearly. In mid chant she felt a blow to the face and then things went gray as she lay stunned.**

**Just as Tara got herself together and chanted for the door lock to open, Spike was on his feet and across the short distance to the counter. Yanking Willow's attacker over it, he quickly broke the thing's neck.**

**Tara rushed in only to be confronted by the demon that Spike had been wrestling, getting up from the floor. She swung her fist clumsily and it was just luck that she'd managed to hit. The thing only stumbled backward half a step and more in surprise than pain, but it was enough and it went tumbling down the two steps behind it, losing its balance. On the floor, Anya barely had time to roll out of the way to keep from getting body slammed.**

**Buffy's attacker had followed her and was busy slamming her face first into the Scooby research table. After the fourth blow, she was pissed off and with Slayer strength grabbed behind her at the things wrist. She felt an instance of satisfaction as she felt a bone snap and then another blow caught her in the face and sent her careening into the hideous sofa.**

**As Tara stood for a moment in panic, Giles called out to her to join him and Dawn in relative safety. Seeing her chance to put an end to the gang's handicap she ran over to them. Grabbing Giles' pro-offered hand, she chanted quickly, "What Cadria was beseeched, let her no longer impart. That which was hidden, is now revealed."**

**The demon on the floor had just stood up and was trying to decide between the vampire (now in full fang mode) or helping with the Slayer when it heard the new witch chant something. With a sinking feeling in its stomach, it looked again at the Slayer who was suddenly whaling on their leader. Choosing the better part of valor it made a dash for the door, but was tripped up when the little blonde lying there grabbed it by the ankle and tripped it. A moment later and Spike had embedded the thrown ax from behind the counter into its head.**

**It was barely two minutes after that and Buffy had her opponent's head twisted at an awkward angle. She stood a moment huffing breath before yelling out Dawn's name and looking frantically for her sister. Dawn was fine though and Buffy hugged Giles in 'thank you'.**

"**What the hell," they heard from the doorway. Unnoticed in the excitement, Tara's family had entered.**

"**D-daddy!"**

"**So, it's true. Beth told me, but I said 'no'. I said my little girl may not know what's best for her, but she wouldn't be hexing her friends."**

"**I-I didn't! This isn't my fault. I mean, it is…but the demons aren't. I didn't bring them here," Tara glared at Beth.**

"**They were probably drawn by you and you know it," Donnie yelled at her.**

"**Wait! Could we all just calm down a moment, please." Giles looked at Tara and the strangers that had entered, "Can I assume you have some idea of what has happened here?"**

**He directed his comment at what was presumably Tara's father, but it was Buffy who answered.**

"**I have a suspicion that Tara can answer that question."**

"**I-I-I'm sorry. I'm just; I'm sorry. It wasn't supposed to cause any harm, I swear! I would never hurt anyone!"**

"**Tara," Willow said timidly. The look on her face was confusion and a little fear. "What wasn't supposed to cause any harm? Do you know these demons?"**

"**No! I just…I needed to hide. I'm sorry," Tara started to cry before she could go on. All of her carefully rehearsed speech was forgotten upon realizing what she'd almost caused to happen.**

**Willow couldn't stand to see her girl so upset and crossed the distance between them. Placing her arms around her, Willow assured her that whatever it was, they'd work it out. The intimacy between them didn't escape the scrutiny of Mr. Maclay and if it was possible, his features grew even more severe.**

"**Tara! You've caused these fine people enough trouble. Let's go."**

"**Wait," Buffy said. "I still want an explanation. And I want to hear it from Tara. You nearly got us killed, you owe us that much."**

**Tara straightened up to meet Buffy in the eye. She was right…about all of it and she did owe them the explanation at the very least.**

"**I was trying to hide my d-demon half. Just until I could figure out how to explain why I'd never brought it up. I…I was hoping that it would never come out. I just wanted to stay a part of you guys, I wanted to stay with Will."**

"**That's where her magic comes from. It's Hell-sent and it'll destroy her just like it did her mother and anyone else around her. This is partly my fault; I never should have let her leave home," her father said angrily.**

"**Tara, we would have understood," Giles said. "In fact, that sort of makes you fit in even more, if you know what I mean." He gave her a small smile and he was so understanding that she couldn't believe that she hadn't trusted him in the first place. **

**She hadn't trusted any of them even after hanging around a vampire and Xander-possession and how easily they accepted Willow and her as a couple, at least after the initial surprise. Sometimes she really was stupid, she decided.**

"**So, the spell you cast," Buffy interrupted, "it was just meant to hide this demon part of you. It…you didn't know about these things?"**

"**Lei-Achs," Spike inserted, "Nasty buggers. Big on the brain-sucking."**

"**I swear to you on everything I love, Buffy, I only meant to hide myself. I just…I wasn't careful enough."**

"**It's okay, Tara," Dawn said quietly. She hugged the older woman close and told her it was just a mistake. Now that they knew what was happening, they could help her.**

"**Help her with what exactly," Anya wanted to know. "I mean, what type of demon manifestation can we expect?"**

"**W-well, uh…I don't think that matters, young lady. What matters is that she has evil in her and she needs to be at home with those that can care for her and protect her from herself. Otherwise, there's going to be more 'incidents' like this."**

"**Well, I'm not at all sure that's true," Anya insisted. "I mean, except for turning them invisible. That was pretty dumb, but I mean, not all demons are 'crush, kill, destroy'. Some are even pretty helpful. So let's just narrow things down a bit. What type of demon was in her mother?"**

**As Tara flinched at the mention of her mother, Willow glared at Anya for a moment. Her attention quickly turned back to Tara's father who seemed to be awfully unsure of himself for someone who was committed to keeping his daughter's evil away from the world.**

"**Look, I don't think this is any of your business. It's a matter for us and Tara. Tara? I told you it was time to go."**

"**I think I smell a rat in this room, and it ain't the white Wiccan," Spike said. Naturally he paused for dramatic effect as well as to light a cigarette. "For somebody looking to 'protect the world' you sure don't seem to know much about this alleged evil she's infected with."**

**_I was just thinking that, _Willow thought.**

"**I was just thinking the same thing," Giles whispered next to Spike.**

"**In fact, being acquainted with the dark corners of this, our wonderful world, myself I find it a bit strange that I've never sensed this evil right under my nose."**

"**Why are we still talking, daddy. Tara, get that butt of yours out to the camper right now, or so help me, I'm gonna drag you out," Donnie menaced, even taking one step toward her.**

"**Wait, wait…" Willow insisted, "Let's hear what Tara wants. Tara, listen…we're not mad about the spell. We just need to know what you want; do you want to go home."**

**Tara shook her head no at Willow, but her eyes remained steadfastly on her father. Willow could see the fear on her face, but determination as well. **

**Spike could also smell the fear from Tara and he thought to himself that her clan folk must be a work. It was too bad he was trying so hard not to be evil anymore, or he could have liked them.**

"**I've had enough of this," Mr. Maclay said as he took a step down. "Tara, your brother's right. It's time for this defiance to end."**

"**Hey, Mr. Maclay," Buffy said. "You want Tara, she's all yours."**

"**Buffy, wait…" Dawn tried to interrupt, but Buffy held a hand up to silence her. As she turned her eyes on Tara, she already knew she wasn't going anywhere. **

**_Maybe the reason you didn't say anything, Tara, was because we didn't…I didn't make you feel like part of the family. That's a mistake I'm going to make up for._**

**Buffy turned back to Tara's father and let her dislike of the man take hold. "You just have to go through me," she said. She heard the gasp of genuine surprise from Tara, but she didn't let her attention waver.**

**Tara's father let out a bray of shocked laughter before growing serious again. "Are you kidding me? Is this some sort of joke?"**

"**I'm not joking. Whether Tara is a demon or not doesn't matter. You want to rip a grown woman away from the life she's chosen for herself; you just gotta get through me."**

"**And me," Dawn added.**

"**Well, this is tense," Anya muttered. "I wish I had popcorn."**

"**Daddy, I can take care of this," Donnie said as he hopped down the two steps to stand before Buffy in an attempt to intimidate her.**

"**One more step, junior, and I'm gonna break both your arms." Buffy held her gaze for a few seconds and then smirked internally as Tara's brother broke the standoff and took a step back. _Just what I thought._**

"**Y'all don't know what you're doin'," Beth spoke for the first time. "She's evil. She's gonna hex you as soon as your back is turned!"**

"**You're a liar," Tara said heatedly.**

"**Look boys and girls, let's clear this up right now, shall we," Spike said stepping up to Tara. Without giving anyone the chance to react, he balled a fist and hit her in the face. Not too hard, because he expected what was going to happen. Even being ready for it, the chip went off and the surge of pain caught him unable to keep the yell from being voiced.**

**Willow was indignant of course, as he also anticipated. And as he suspected, she quickly forgot her outrage when she realized that he was far more hurt than Tara was.**

"**He hit my nose," Tara giggled.**

"**Yeah, he did. And it hurt! Uh…him, it hurt him."**

"**So much for the whole, "she's a demon' spiel. So you wanna show yourselves out, or should I give you a hand. And possibly, a foot," Buffy said while crossing her arms and giving a cock of her hips.**

"**I think your business here in concluded, Mr. Maclay. I'd like you to leave my store," Giles added.**

**Not to be outdone, Anya piped up, "Yes. The Magic Box doesn't desire your patronage."**

"**Tara," Mr. Maclay said, "if you do this, don't ever bother coming home at all."**

"**Daddy? Please, just go."**

"**I don't believe you're letting her get away with this!" Beth still wasn't ready to give up the argument, despite the fact that the two male Maclays were stomping for the door. In desperation, she turned back to the assembled group and glared, "Who the hell do you people think you are!?"**

**Buffy looked at her up and down with nothing but contempt, before pasting the phoniest smile she could manage. "We think we're her family."**

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End Ch 06


	7. Happy Birthday

**The Family We Choose**

Ch 7 – Happy Birthday

**The Bronze was jumping and table space was at a premium, but Tara had three tables reserved for her party. In fact, Mr. Omart himself stayed late to ensure that no one ignored his carefully arranged 'RESERVED' signs and gave Tara a birthday peck on the cheek when the gang arrived.**

**Though Willow had tried hard to casually suggest that they all go to the Bronze to unwind, Tara let her know that she figured out the party thing. Although, that didn't stop her from being impressed with the arrangements, the cake, the gifts and the wink Mr. Omart gave them as he nonchalantly left a freshly opened bottle of champagne on one of the tables as he left for the evening, despite the fact they were under-aged. Of course, none of it meant nearly as much as what the gang had already done for her.**

**Once everything had been cleaned up in the shop and as everyone was gathering their things, Tara had pulled Buffy to the side. She had tried to apologize for everything she had put them through, especially putting them in harm's way. But Buffy simply shrugged and smiled. "You did something incredibly stupid and caused the rest of us a huge headache," she'd said. "If that doesn't make you an official Scooby, I don't know what else would!"**

**Even Anya, who often just wanted to go home and try to convince Xander to snuggle or have sex, got excited when it was present time. Xander himself had worked late and had missed all of the Magic Shop excitement, arriving literally minutes after the cleanup was finished. He'd gotten the gist of what had happened, however, between the five different versions of the tale he'd heard on the way over. He liked Dawn's the best for the enthusiasm she'd shown.**

**As the next song started, a slow one, Willow asked Tara to dance. But she asked Willow to wait a few minutes and instead took Spike out onto the dance floor.**

**Placing one hand on his shoulder and the other in his hand, she noted his surprise with a smile. "I wanted to thank you, Spike."**

"**Oh, it's nothing, y'know. All for one and one for all and all that rot, yeah?"**

"**It wasn't 'nothing' to me. I've spent my whole life since I could understand English being told that someday I'd destroy anyone I'd gotten close to. That only my family could save me from myself. To think it was all a huge lie, and I have you to thank for uncovering it for me."**

**Spike shrugged, looking a little sheepish. "The gang, you know? They'd have accepted you at face value no matter what the face turned out looking like. Hell, look at me. Here I am, even after what I've done."**

"**Yes. But I'm living proof, Spike…even with family you can only push people away so many times before they give up. Maybe it's time you stopped pushing?"**

**As Spike cocked his head at her, Willow came up and tapped him on the shoulder. "Mind if I cut in," he heard from behind him. Just before relinquishing Tara's hand, she leaned into him and kissed him chastely on the cheek.**

**He glanced back on his way to the tables to see Tara and her girl holding each other close and swaying gently to the music.**

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"**I don't deserve you," Tara said.**

"**How's that? 'Cause I was thinking I was the one who wasn't deserving here," Willow returned.**

"**No. You're wonderful. I'm the one who couldn't trust you, even after everything, enough to tell you my big secret."**

"**Well, you were scared. I get that. I mean, we're pretty fierce with the demon killing and you were the outsider trying to see in…see what you were getting into."**

"**I just…I thought if I just ignored it, it wouldn't ever come up. Well, I guess it wouldn't since it was all just a vicious lie. I just wasn't sure if I spilled everything, if you'd want to be with me. I couldn't risk losing you; not after having just finally found you."**

"**You'll never lose me. I don't care if you have spines, or scales or cat eyes. Or even if you have a lying, curmudgeonly family. Actually, you having cat's eyes would be kinda cool."**

"**I was just thinking that!"**

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**Spike returned to the table just in time to see Xander lead Dawn to the dance floor. She was beaming with adulation and he wondered is Xan knew how big a crush the Bit was under. He smiled at them as they passed and Xander gave him a playful wink.**

**When he returned to the table, he took a drink of the champagne and struggled not to spit it out. It was wretched piss masquerading as bubbly. Turning to Buffy he asked if she'd like to dance, considering that Captain Not-so-Terrific hadn't shown up yet. He should have known better. He really should have, by now.**

**Buffy turned up her nose of course, with a 'are you kidding?' and an appalled 'after our last time in the Bronze? Forget it!'**

**Just from spite, he was sure; Giles immediately stepped in and asked his Slayer for a dance. Buffy smiled widely at him and accepted almost before the old pervert could get the words out. And off they went leaving Spike and Anya alone at the table.**

**Rolling his eyes at the ceiling, Spike took a seat next to her. "Seems everyone else is dancing but us, luv." This received no reaction but a blank stare from Ms. Get-the-Clue, so he clarified.**

"**So…would you like to…" but the ex-demon bint simply rolled her eyes at him. Before he could cop an attitude with her over his snubbing, she grabbed up her cheap hand bag and went to the powder room.**

**Steaming a bit now, Spike got up and made his way to the door where Riley entered and they had a brief staring contest. He broke it unintentionally when he heard Xander call his name, allowing Riley to claim that small victory.**

"**You leaving so soon," Xan asked and Spike could tell he was just a bit buzzed.**

"**No one seems thrilled with me hanging around…as usual."**

"**Why, just 'cause they're not dancing with you? Hey, I'll fill your dance card."**

**Spike was silent for a moment, not because he was taking Xander seriously. He just noticed for the first time that his scent was…interesting. Not really off, per se, but there was something underneath his usual smells of shampoo and dark chocolate and sunshine. Something that niggled at the base of his mind; familiar, but so barely there he couldn't quite recognize what it was that had caught his attention.**

"**Hey, evil dead, it was just a little joke. No need to suddenly give me the silent treatment," Xander said lightly, if nervously.**

"**Yeah, well," Spike drawled, coming out of his thoughts, "if this were a different type of bar, I might have taken you up on it." He turned to make his way out and wondered how he was going to fill another long, long, night.**

"**Movie night on Saturday," Xander questioned from behind him as he left. Spike stopped and grinned back.**

"**What's playing, then?"**

"**A 'Jaws' double-bill."**

"**That doesn't sound like the usual fare you subject me to."**

"**It is when it's "Jaws 3-D without the 3-D effects" and "Jaws Part IV- Why In Hell Was This Thing Made"."**

"**I'm telling you Xander, one of these days you're going to have me staking myself on your sofa. Can I assume there will be the usual libations to ensure we keep sane during these tours-de-forces?"**

"**Naturally," Xander laughed.**

"**Then, I'll see you at eight." Spike left, feeling a bit better. After all; movies with Xander at the end of the week and a kiss from Tara tonight? Couldn't say life was all bad, right?**

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End Ch 7

**Spanderverse Series**:

_BTVS seasons 1-4, excluding Restless._

Spanderverse: To Dream

Spanderverse: After 314

Spanderverse: Spike

Spanderverse: Dracula

Spanderverse: Burial

BTVS: Real Me

Spanderverse: Confusion of Three

Preludes

Tensions

Old Friends

Hospital Visits

The Risks of Glory

Hunting Our Needs

The Family We Choose


End file.
